Maple Syrup, a natural sweetener, a healthy substitute
Posted by adairsawyer on May 15th, 2014
For all those who cannot imagine a day without having something sweet, switch off to natural sweetener for a more healthy choice. The artificial sweeteners are nothing but a pack of highly processed sweeteners and are linked to numerous health problems like cancer, obesity and diabetes. The artificial sweetener may have the same taste and color however; they do not have the nutritional supplements and the numerous health benefits that are largely provided by natural sweeteners. One of the richest sources of regular sweetener is maple syrup. It may be noted here that only pure maple syrup has the essential nutrients that prove beneficial to the body. The sugar free maple syrup that is made at home is in no way a natural maple syrup as they contain artificial flavor and sugar.
Do you know that one of the best ways to lose weight is to replace sugar with natural sweeteners? Sugar can be gravely detrimental to health as it increases the risk of obesity. If you are a fitness freak, switching off to natural sweetener is the first necessity. Maple syrup is among the many natural sweeteners considered by the FDA to be safe and healthy.
Maple syrup is significantly high in minerals and vitamins and contains fewer calories. They are rich in antioxidant compounds and contain manganese and zinc in good proportion. All the components contribute in making maple syrup a healthy choice as it controls chronic diseases, diabetes, cancer, and blood sugar level. It helps to take care of the heart, protects one against viral infections, helps in the recovery of muscle, prevents indigestion problems, speeds up the metabolism rate and is an excellent anti-aging agent. Sugar free maple syrup made with artificial flavor however does not provide such a range of health benefits
Maple syrup is available in different grades. Grade A and Grade B or No.1, No. 2 and No.3. While the first grading system is followed by the United States grading system, the second grading system is followed by the Canadian Inspection Agency. Needless to say, all types of maple syrup grades are natural sweetener. The classification is done based on the different color and flavor it renders owing to its harvesting time.
All types of maple syrup irrespective of its grade are good choice of regular sweetener. Artificial maple syrup or the sugar free maple syrup that is made at home raises numerous health concerns. They are assumed to be the reason behind several types of cancer. Non-caloric artificial sweetener is believed to cause seizures, heart palpitations, headaches, constipation etc. Artificial sweetener can also lead to addiction.
Because of the many benefits of natural sweetener like maple syrup, people are switching over to it. When you have something as great as sugar that gives you the same taste, why go for artificial sweetener? If you consider going for the sugar free maple syrup, remember that not all of them are made from pure maple syrup. Most of these sugar free syrups are made with artificial maple flavor and are full of sugar alcohols. They can be dangerous for your digestive system. It is always advisable to go for the regular maple syrup, as they are nutritionally rich.
Switching over to natural sweetener is no doubt a wise decision. Sugar free maple syrup can be easily made at home but they are artificially flavoured and stands nowhere near the richness of the pure maple syrup.
